Samsung launches TecTiles NFC stickers

Using NFC tags to automate a device is old news. Sony has been selling its NFC SmartTags for a while now, and you don’t even have to go the branded route to accomplish something like that. Explaining that something from Sony works on Samsung can be difficult when it comes to the everyday consumer though, so I’m actually happy that Samsung has launched its own NFC tags, called TecTiles.

TecTiles are programmable NFC stickers that come in packs of 5 for $15 and are part of the Galaxy S III launch in the US and Canada. Hopefully they’ll be made available elsewhere too, but those countries are what’s currently listed in the accompanying app. The tags are programmed through a free Google Play app and can then do various things like change your phone settings or open a web page when scanned – your normal NFC type stuff in other words. Like I said, nothing new here, besides Samsung’s logo on the technology.

I’ve said before that I’m rather envious of NFC equipped device, and that still holds true. It’s nice to see the technology get some traction, even though the things you can do through the official app is very much just the beginning compared to what you can do when you use true automation apps with these tags. To get to that point, though, it’s critical that more companies promote the use of NFC this way, and I doubt that happens unless they create their own tags like Samsung and Sony has.

About the Author

Andreas Ødegård was an associate editor at Pocketables. He's more interested in aftermarket (and user created) software and hardware than chasing the latest gadgets and tends to stick with his choice of device for a long time as a result of that. Currently that includes an iPad mini and a Samsung Galaxy S II.